Our Eco-Conscious products make for a healthy planet

Samsung Electronics gives the utmost priority to the environment -- from the moment product planning begins until a product’s final disposal. Our Eco-design Process, adopted in 2004, thoroughly analyzes a product’s potential environmental impact. We are doing our best to make our products as eco-conscious as they are functional -- from conserving resources and making new, innovative products to ensuring they are easy to recycle at end-of-life. This is why our products are recognised around the world as eco-conscious.

A video clip on Samsung Electronicc' Eco-conscious products

2020 KPI: Developing eco-conscious products

Eco-conscious product development

Product energy efficiency improvement

The Eco-design Process considers a product’s environmental impact on the environment starting with the product design phase

The Eco-design Process is an environmentally-friendly evaluation method used during the product planning phase. We look thoroughly into a product’s environmental impact at each step -- from product design to logistics, distribution and take-back. Through this process, we identify a product’s particular features aligning with Eco-Conscious practices like using a minimum of resources in manufacturing, eliminating unnecessary packaging, distributing efficiently, and recycling products effectively at end-of-life.In the case of refrigerators, the Eco-design Process led us to replace ozone-depleting substance with Eco-Conscious refrigerant. We also made technological progress through the use of a compressor that minimizes energy loss by quickly supplying only enough cooled air to keep food fresh. In these ways, the Eco-design Process enables Samsung Electronics to offer products that consider the environment while making life more convenient.

Application of Eco Design Processes in Galaxy Note 8 and QLED TVs

Galaxy Note8 innovations have redefined the performance of smartphones. And its environmental performance innovation was no exception. By following our eco-design process that doesn’t just meet the environmental requirements of different nations, but also considers potential impacts on the environment that go beyond regulation, Galaxy Note 8 was designed with improved environmental performance. Samsung QLED TVs utilize cadmium-free quantum dot technology while surpassing the technical limitations of conventional quantum dot technologies, which require the use of cadmium to achieve efficiency. As a result of such efforts, Galaxy Note 8 was awarded the Gold rating from EPEAT (Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool), and QLED TVs were awarded the Cutting Edge Sustainable Materials Management Challenge Award from the US EPA in January 2017.

This is about the eco-friendly smartphone, Galaxy S8. In the middle is a picture of the front and back of Galaxy S8. Next to the picture, the details on eco-friendly technology are demonstrated. Below are the details. First, recycled plastics are used – 20% in charger case (PC) and 30% in inner tray (PS+PET). Second, 50% of unit box (in terms of weight) are made up of recycled paper. Third, vegetable-based ink such as a solvent-free soybean oil ink is used for printing. Fourth, the use of the potentially environmentally sensitive substances such as PVC, antimony, brominated flame retardants, chlorinated flame retardants are reduced. Fifth, the energy efficiency of charger is improved: high-speed charger (5V/2A, 9V/1.67A) with 0.02 for standby power. The charger energy efficiency is 86%. For the batter with the capacity of 3500mAh, ultra power-saving mode and adaptive fast charging techonology are used for the low power usage. Finally, Galaxy S8 successfully achieved Eco-Conscious certifications such as Carbon Trust of UK, Vitality Leaf of Russia, Sele Colibri of Brazil, UL and EPEAT of USA and FSC-certified paper.

Environmental Assessments of Major Products

Samsung Electronics carries out environmental assessments of major products, applying strict internationally-approved certification standards. We adopt assessment criteria from the Korean government’s Eco-Label certification, the United States’ Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT), and the sustainability certification standards of the US Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM).
As part of our dedication to going eco-conscious, we have also developed an indicator to show the rate of our eco-conscious product development, and we have been publishing the numbers. Samsung Electronics will continue to work so that over 90% of our newly developed products are eco-conscious by 2020.

Environmentally sensitive substances in all products
are strictly managed To make them safe to use

Under the principle of "no compromise on environmental issues" Samsung Electronics closely manages environmentally sensitive substances. In line with tighter international environmental regulations, we have established the ‘Standards for Control of Substances Used in Products’ and have been conducting thorough preliminary inspections and follow-up management on all components and raw materials that are used. We have voluntarily formulated reduction plans for the use of not only restricted substances, but also potentially environmentally sensitive ones such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), brominated flame retardants (BFRs), beryllium and antimony. All the while, we have been continuously reducing the use of environmentally sensitive materials in products. Samsung Electronics has been proactively managing environmentally sensitive substances since 2004, two years in advance of the EU’s Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive. The impetus for establishing a stringent management system internally before the EU issued its Directive was Samsung Electronics’ management philosophy emphasizing the environment. Starting in 2005, we built a lab for analyzing environmentally sensitive substances and volatile organic compounds and we set up a self-monitoring system. Moreover, we were certified as an authorized testing lab by the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) of Germany, achieving recognition for our credibility and expertise in chemical substance analysis. Samsung Electronics acknowledges the environment as an important value for the future, and we have adopted our own standards that are stricter than international requirements in terms of hazardous substance verification and management. Our Hazardous Substance Management Standards are categorized into 4 classes and, accordingly, we examine and improve our products to make them safer and more eco-conscious.

Samsung Electronics believes that environmentally sensitive substances should also be strictly controlled in the supply chain. If suppliers use environmentally sensitive substances in the raw materials, components and products they provide and fail to process them properly, our final products will not be environmentally friendly. Therefore, to prevent our suppliers from using environmentally sensitive substances and to enable the strict management of substances, we have implemented the Eco-Partner Certification system.

Samsung Electronics continues to research ways to save energy

Samsung Electronics ceaselessly endeavors to manufacture highly energy-efficient products that use less energy for better performance. If a product can deliver an even more outstanding performance using less energy, then customers can save on energy costs. Less energy is used to generate power, resulting in lower greenhouse gas emissions. As a result of applying innovative, energy-efficient technologies on our products, we were able to lower the energy consumption of our products by 36% compared to 2008. This means we were able to make a better-performing product using half the energy. But our work does not stop there -- we continue our research to develop groundbreaking technology that will reduce energy use even further.

Dryer (DV90M53A0Q*)

Samsung Electronics’ eco-conscious efforts are acknowledged around the world

Samsung Electronics’ products have been recognized for their eco-friendliness in many countries including the US, Europe, China and Brazil, where they have been granted eco-certifications such as eco-marks and carbon emission labels. This was made possible by our efforts to study and develop products that put the environment first, using advanced technology. But our work is not finished -- Samsung Electronics will continue to pursue a ‘PlanetFirst’ vision, prioritizing the Earth and the environment. We will do our best to make life convenient yet environmentally sustainable.

This is an image of major global eco-marks and carbon label certifications held by Samsung Electronics. Samsung Electronics has achieved from South Korea, China, and Taiwan in Asia, Sweden, Russia, and Northern European countries in Europe, United States, UL, CSA in North America, Brazil in Central and South America. Carbon label certifications are by Carbon Footprint Labelling in South Korea and Carbon Trust in UK. The Carbon Footprint Labelling of South Korea deals with the carbon emission, low-carbon products, and carbon-neutral products.